BLACKBERRY: a magazine is an online literary magazine featuring black women writers and artists. Its goal is to expose readers to the diversity of the black woman’s experience and strengthen the black female voice in both the mainstream and independent markets.

We have published talented up-and-coming artists as well as prize-winning fellows such as Stephania Byrd, Leesa Cross-Smith, Brenda Bell Brown, Tara Betts, Esme-Michelle Watkins, and Cynthia Manick.

We publish print issues quarterly as well as flash and spoken word online.

1. BLACKBERRY: a magazine Annual Fiction Contest award prizes for exceptional fiction written by black women (cis women, non-binary, transgender inclusive). First-place is $100 and publication in the June 2015 issue. Second-place is $75 and publication in the June 2015 issue. Third-place is $50 and publication in the June 2015. Honorable mentions will be awarded publication and a copy of the June 2015 issue.

2. Work should be double-spaced and should not exceed 8,000 words. Novel excerpts are eligible only if they are able to stand alone. Name and any identifying information should be on cover letter only. Please do not include name or identifying information on any page of the manuscript document. Any entry that does not follow these guidelines will be disqualified.

3. Entry fee is $10 and includes a one year digital subscription of BLACKBERRY: a magazine. One entry per person. Only entries submitted via the submissions manager will be eligible.

4. Work previously published in print or electronically will not be considered. For this contest, “published work” means published in print in North America, or published on the Internet in electronic journals, e-zines, academic websites, and other “public” or “official” websites. Works posted on personal blogs or websites will be considered on a case-by-case basis. We ask that authors be honest about web postings. (If a work is discovered to have been posted or published elsewhere—and not openly acknowledged by the author in advance—we will remove it from consideration.)

5. Simultaneous submissions are permitted, but we ask that you notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere. We regret that there can be no refunds or substitutions for withdrawn work.

6. BLACKBERRY: a magazine acquires first-time North American rights. After publication, all rights revert to the author and the work may be reprinted as long as appropriate acknowledgement to BLACKBERRY: a magazine is made.

Please query first before submitting a book review or author interviews.(editor@blackberryamagazine.com)

Each review submitted should be on one singular book of poetry, non-fiction, or fiction by a black female (or person who identifies as female) writer. Ideally, authors interviewed should also be women of color. All reviews should be between 500-1500 words.
With all submissions please send a 50 word bio with a website you would like promoted if we accept your work.